


Happy Birthday, Skip

by Starlithorizon



Series: Alchemy and Guitar Ties [25]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Aging, Birthday, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-01
Updated: 2013-05-01
Packaged: 2017-12-10 01:30:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/780207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlithorizon/pseuds/Starlithorizon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin used to dread the thought of turning fifty, but now that he's here, he couldn't be happier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Skip

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mattsloved1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mattsloved1/gifts).



> I received the sweetest prompt: "I love the idea of them celebrating Martin's 40th or 50th birthday and he realizes how much he always dreaded hitting that landmark because he would still be a failure and alone but life is so much different than that and he would never want to go back to being that young again."  
> Like, if that prompt was a person, I would just reach out and squish its adorable little face because seriously.

He awoke to pearly golden sunlight filtering through the gauzy curtains hanging over the window. Soft, radiant warmth stretched along his body and encompassed him, taking the form of his still-sleeping husband. With a smile, Martin reached up and petted Arthur's hair slightly, still reveling in that warmth. They had been together over fifteen years, and he still couldn't believe that this was his life.

Martin had gotten pensive and thoughtful when he turned forty, but he hadn't had much time before Arthur had presented him with a lovely surprise. Now, ten years later, Martin was allowed a bit of time to think back on these past fifty years.

There were two shining cars in the drive, one of them cherry red and the other a much more sensible shade of soft blue. There were a dozen vans with the Icarus Removals logo dotted around the area, the range extending even beyond Fitton. Arthur was a successful CEO (a recent change), as was Martin (a much less recent change). Not all of the success was physical, though. Martin had a bigger family now than he'd ever thought possible. Douglas, Carolyn, Arthur, Hannah, her little boy, Simon and Caitlin and their families... He had so much more than he'd ever dreamed.

There was no ignoring the fact that Martin Crieff's life was damn wonderful. He thought back on a recent incident with one of the new pilots, a young man named George who was nearly as by-the-book as Martin himself.

"You let him pick and choose his flights because he's your husband!" George accused, scowling at Arthur. He'd been booked to an easy flight to the Isle of Man, resentful of the fact that Martin got all the good, exciting flights.

"So?" Arthur asked with a smile and a shrug. Before George could get any angrier, Douglas stepped in.

"George, Martin has been flying with us for _years_ before you even got your license. He gets to choose because he's got seniority. And, while our lovely little company now has multiple first officers, there is still only one captain. Finally, he is a damn fine pilot and should be allowed to fly when and where he chooses."

Everyone had blinked at Douglas's kind words, and all Martin could do was smile, once he'd gotten over the initial shock.

Yes, at fifty, he was really getting on in years. He was greying at the temples (which Arthur _loved_ ) and the lines on his face were slowly growing a bit more prominent. Still, he wouldn't have given _anything_ to be any younger.

He remembered dreading his twenty-fifth birthday. True, at twenty-five, one could get away with not having much to call one's own, but he was living in an attic with three failed CPLs already.

He had feared turning thirty. He'd been in a state of horror almost his whole twenty-ninth year, and the day before his birthday, he went and got piss drunk and spent the whole following day with a wicked hangover. He'd had nothing to show for thirty, and that was when most people were married with decent jobs and places to live that didn't come with interchangeable student populations. By thirty, he'd only had three significant others, _ever_ , he'd failed his CPL a whopping _six_ times, and he was working unhappily as a busboy at a nearby restaurant. He had no friends and rarely called or went to see his family. He couldn't bear to see Successful Simon or Content Caitlin, and he would _scream_ if his mum asked how everything was going.

Thirty-five was different, though barely. He'd been working for MJN for a few years by then, and could count them as his friends, and he was finally, _finally_ a pilot. Still, he was living in the attic of a student house and got money by being a man with a van, but he didn't _hate_ it.

Forty was one of his happiest birthdays yet. Fifty was looking to be the best so far.

He used to be completely horrified of the prospect, certain that all he'd have to show for his age would be wrinkles and worn hands and that damned attic flat. No wife, no kids... Well, he was right on _that_ front.

How he'd ended up with this beautiful, kind man for his husband was well beyond him, but he was so grateful. He loved Arthur more every second, and he was sure that Arthur felt just the same. They didn't have kids, but that was all right, they had family. Hannah's little boy was just about to turn two.

He was getting older, but he wouldn't trade in his years for anything. At fifty, he could take a nap without feeling like a lazy sod. He could start to slow down on the physical aspects of Icarus and simply be CEO. He could get senior discounts here and there, and he quite liked _that_.

Arthur woke up after a bit, simply smiled up at Martin.

"Happy birthday, Skip," he said before kissing his husband lightly. Martin grinned.

"I rather think it is."

**Author's Note:**

> As ever, un-beta'd, un-Brit-picked, and highly encouraging your guys' prompts!


End file.
